1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rupture disks and panels, and more particularly to an improved rupture disk arrangement.
2. General Background of the Invention
Many patents (examples follow herein) have issued that relate to rupture disks and disks. Some of these patents relate to rupture disks that include a larger, often rectangular or square (or other) shaped disk member having a peripheral frame or border that supports it. An example of such a rupture disk can be seen in the Fike U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,154. The '154 patent discloses a flexible, low-mass, non-fragmenting burst member or disk which is said to be extremely predictable and essentially instantaneous in operation, even at low burst pressures, in order to safely vent and protect pressure vessels such as bag houses or the like from the potentially catastrophic effects of internal explosions or adverse high-pressure conditions. The disk structure preferably includes a thin metallic substrate having a pattern of tape directly applied thereto, with a coating of epoxy paint over the tape pattern and substrate; sharp-breaking, shear burst lines are thereby produced along the edges of the tape pattern which ensures that the disk will instantaneously vent a pressure vessel through essentially the entire area of full vent opening, thus giving a degree of operational predictability impossible to attain with conventional burst-type venting structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,739 discloses a low pressure venting disk that acts to safely vent a pressure vessel, such as a bag house, from overpressure conditions. The venting disk is said to be particularly responsive and predictable at low pressures. The disk includes a thin rupture body with a central group of apertures and slit lines emanating from the apertures. A thin sealing membrane is bonded to one surface of the rupture body at least in the area of the slits. The characteristics of the sealing membrane are said to enable the membrane to resist expansion in the area of the slits when pressure is applied to the rupture body, thereby resisting rupture of the membrane up to the design rupture limit of the venting disk. Various aperture patterns in the center of the rupture body are provided to facilitate predictable opening. The slits are divided into segments connected by bridges to help prevent the slits from separating and the sealing membrane from creeping through the slits prior to rupture. Protective strips adjacent the slits are positioned between the rupture body and the sealing membrane to reduce creep of the membrane through the slits prior to rupture. A vacuum support grid is provided for the disk to support the sealing membrane against a vacuum acting thereon opposite the rupture body.
In the Fons U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,793, a cover plate is retained in a rubber elastic sealing clamping section and is supported by at least one counter support constituted by a lever arm which will be swung from its supporting position when the load limit is exceeded.
A rupture disk in the form of a silo explosion door is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,303. The explosion door serves as a safety protection apparatus to prevent damage resulting from an explosion within a silo from inadvertently generated gaseous pressures.
The Robinson U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,180 provides a vibration resistant rupturable pressure relief member for protecting structure subject to vibration from reaching an overpressure condition. The rupturable pressure relief member is comprised of a rupture disk having an elongated concave-convex bulged portion formed therein and having a score pattern on a side thereof which includes an elongated score extending longitudinally across the bulged portion the ends of which connect with additional divergent scores forming opposing V-shapes.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,909 there is provided a hygienic pressure relief disk unit which is said to reliably rupture at a predetermined pressure in order to prevent buildup of dangerous pressure within a protected structure such as a vessel or the like defining an enclosed space, which prevents media passage there through before rupture, and which is supposed to present a sanitary, easily cleanable surface toward the vessel interior in order to inhibit accumulation of food particles, dust or the like. The preferred disk unit includes a slotted stainless steel disk with the slots configured as a line of weakness for separation at a predetermined pressure, a sheet of PTFE material prepared on one side thereof to present an adhesive bonding surface, and an adhesive coupling the sheet and the disk, whereby the disk unit can be placed in a covering relationship with the vent opening of the protected structured in order to present the outer face of the PTFE sheet toward the vessel interior. The disk can include a series of slotted apertures defined there through configured to present a line of weakness, defining three sides of a rectangle. The line of weakness defines the predetermined amount of pressure at which the disk ruptures.
The Short U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,632 discloses a pressure relief disk assembly that includes a single rupture disk which includes a domed portion connected to a peripheral flat flange portion and has at least one slit formed therein defining a hinged blow-out part. The hinged blow-out part is connected to the remaining part of the rupture disk by an unslit hinge area and a plurality of rupture tabs.
A multiple dome single-disk explosion vent is disclosed in the Leonard U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,365. The explosion vent includes a peripheral flange configured for attachment to the enclosure around the opening, a pressure relief disk positioned within and hingedly connected to the flange, and a plurality of connectors or rupture tab assemblies connecting the unhinged portion of the pressure relief disk to the flange. The connectors break when the enclosure is subjected to pressure build-up for permitting the disk to shift outwardly from the enclosure for uncovering the opening in the enclosure. Rivets are provided for attaching the rupture tab assemblies to the pressure relief disk which function to provide additional disk support and minimize localized bending of the rupture tabs forming a part of assemblies when the explosion vent is subjected to vacuum conditions, but do not interfere with rupture of the tabs and opening of the disk at a relatively low burst pressure. The pressure relief disk has a plurality of domed sections presenting at least one valley defining bridge there between. The domed sections and bridges cooperate to stiffen the disk so that it more uniformly distributes force on the connectors, causing all of the connectors to break at approximately the same time so that the disk more consistently opens at a selected burst pressure level.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,203 discloses a rupture disk that employs multiple layers including sealing members.
Lithium battery enclosures or battery boxes are often designed for automotive, industrial, and military applications. Many of such battery enclosures or battery boxes must be a sealed design. This necessitates the use of some pressure relief device to protect the enclosure or box against rapid pressure buildup experienced during a catastrophic upset, such as a battery short.